Symbols Of Ireland

The Irish Coat of arms is described as
"a harp or, stringed argent, on a field azure." The harp has been
used in the Irish coat of arms since medieval times, being found as
far back as 1270. The harp is found on the banners of the Irish
brigades in the armies of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
The harp today is used as the symbol of the Irish State. It is found
in the seals of the President, Government Ministers and is used on
the back of Irish coins.
The Presidential Standard is a blue flag with the heraldic harp. The
model for the harp is the 14th century harp known as the Brian Boru
harp in the Museum of Trinity College, Dublin.
The badge of Ireland the Shamrock is used sportsmen and teams. The
Shamrock is also used in the logos of the Irish Tourist Board and
Aer Lingus. Traditional belief is that St Patrick, the patron Saint
of Ireland, explained the mystery of the Christian trinity by the
shamrock for the demonstration.
The Shamrock is restricted to use by the Irish State, its licensees
or by registration as a symbol of Ireland with the World
Intellectual Property Organization.

Today's Date:

The
Presidential Standard is a blue flag with the heraldic
harp. The model for the artistic representation of the
heraldic harp is the 14th century harp now preserved in
the Museum of Trinity College Dublin, popularly known as
the Brian Boru harp.

Saint Patrick (about 389-461) is the patron saint of
Ireland. Patrick was born in Britain.

Ireland, together with Britain, joined
the European Economic Community in 1973.

The
population of the island as a whole is just under 6 million(2006),
4.20 million live in the Irish Republic and 1.7 million
live in Northern Ireland.

Ireland is
a parliamentary democracy. The National Parliament
(Oireachtas) consists of the President and two Houses:
Dáil Éireann (the House of Representatives) and Seanad
Éireann (the Senate) Northern Ireland
has a parliamentary monarchy and an electoral democracy.
The voting age is 18 in both parts of Ireland.